Carpe diem! Seize the day – each and every day.

As a cancer survivor, I constantly seek inspiration to lift me up each day. Inspiration comes in many forms and from many sources. For example, I often speak of Clint Eastwood’s “a man has to know his limitations” quote as a way for us to focus on our current strengths. Yes, that Clint Eastwood offers real inspiration to me.

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, inspiration may be defined in this way. It is “something that makes someone want to do something or that gives someone an idea about what to do or create: a force or influence that inspires someone. : a person, place, experience, etc.”

Today, I’d like to look at the power of inspirational video through three examples involving those who motivate us, even in their absence due to cancer: Jim Valvano, Steve Jobs, and Randy Pausch.

For me, the most inspirational video I’ve seen is a speech given by former champion basketball coach Jim Valvano. He gave the speech at an ESPN ESPY award ceremony shortly before his death. As noted on YouTube: “The V Foundation for Cancer Research was founded by ESPN and legendary basketball coach Jim Valvano with one goal in mind: to achieve victory over cancer. Since its start in 1993, the V Foundation has awarded over $170 million in cancer research grants nationwide and has grown to become one of the premier supporters of cutting-edge cancer research funds.”

What stands out and inspires me every day is this Valvano quote from that speech: “To me there are three things everyone should do every day. Number one is laugh. Number two is think – spend some time in thought. Number three, you should have your emotions move you to tears. If you laugh, think, and cry, that’s a heck of a day.” Here’s the YouTube link: https://youtu.be/HuoVM9nm42E

Steve Jobs is certainly well-known for his worldwide exploits while at
Apple. And many of us know that Jobs died of pancreatic cancer. It’s hard to
believe that it’s already more than seven years ago since his passing. Fewer
people are aware of his incredible 2005 commencement speech at Stanford
University. I say this knowing that the video has been viewed more than 30
million times.

Why is this speech so special? Jobs presented a very different side of
himself. The speech was delivered in a rather folksy and personal manner, not
as an oracle speaking. He mixed personal stories with humor and down-to-earth
advice. He put himself out there by discussing his adoption, his dropping out
of college, and a lot more. To this day (and I’ve watched the video more than a
dozen times), I am still in awe of this speech and inspired by it. As noted at
YouTube: “Drawing from some of the most pivotal points in his
life, Steve Jobs, chief executive officer and co-founder of Apple Computer and
of Pixar Animation Studios, urged graduates to pursue their dreams and see the
opportunities in life’s setbacks – including death itself.” Here’s the YouTube link: https://youtu.be/UF8uR6Z6KLc

Randy Pausch was a professor of computer science, human–computer
interaction, and design at Carnegie Mellon University. He was quite
accomplished and popular. Like Steve Jobs, Pausch was diagnosed with pancreatic
cancer. In September 2006, he learned that he had pancreatic cancer. And in
August 2007, Pausch received a terminal diagnosis. He passed away in July 2008.

After receiving his terminal diagnosis, Pausch decided to speak about his
illness and offer life lessons, using the theme of The Last Lecture. As noted on YouTube: “Carnegie
Mellon Professor Randy Pausch gave his last lecture at the university September
18, 2007, before a packed auditorium. In his moving [and inspirational]
presentation, ‘Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams,’ Pausch talked about his
lessons learned and gave advice to students on how to achieve their own career
and personal goals.” Here’s the YouTube link: https://youtu.be/ji5_MqicxSo.

Not only do these three speeches inspire me, they also (1) make me realize how very lucky I am to be here today; and (2) motivate me to want to give back to others through my own writings and talks.

Professor at Hofstra University’s Zarb School of Business for forty-four years, and a survivor of pancreatic cancer. Joel has decided to share his journey with those who were struggling with any terrible disease; he wants to offer hope and support, and let them know that, “There is a light at the end of the tunnel, even if that light is not as bright as before.” In addition to his time as a professor, Dr. Evans is also a leading textbook author, with books published in multiple languages including English, Chinese and Russian, as well as an active blogger and frequent guest speaker. He lives on Long Island, New York.

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